


The Fearless Vampire Hunters

by schmetterlingstee



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: M/M, Vampires, crack shipping, crackships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-31
Updated: 2017-06-22
Packaged: 2018-04-29 05:48:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5117738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/schmetterlingstee/pseuds/schmetterlingstee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gift-fic for AmaraSessh!</p><p>Vampire hunter Leorio sets out on a mission to solve a series of mysterious murders, likely caused by vampires. When he doesn't find any clues, he is found by someone else ...<br/>After not hearing anything from his colleague, Kurapika decides to go after Leorio, only to suffer a similar fate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AmaraSessh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmaraSessh/gifts).



> After reading an AU idea of lovely AmaraSessh, I came up with this story. What can I say, it's halloween, so have this crackship fic filled with vampires, blood and temptation.
> 
> Happy Halloween, enjoy and please keep in mind that english is not my first language, thank you!

The crescent moon shone on the nearly empty streets of the small seaside town. Leorio reached into his coat to check for his gun. It was still in its place.

He was prepared to fight, to defend himself or someone else. He had done this before, many times…

But still, why was he so damn nervous?

He remembered receiving the documents about the death of a model. She had been found in the early morning hours near the quay, her clothes ripped apart and lying in a pool of her own blood.

The police had assumed that she had fallen victim to a murderer. But what had caught the orders was the fact, that there had been biting marks all over the woman’s body.

And this was why he had been send here. To investigate, find and if somehow possible kill the culprit – who was assumed to be a vampire.

Kurapika, not only his colleague, but also his dear friend had insisted to accompany him. Leorio however had denied the offer.

It wasn’t as if he was trying to prove himself. In fact, he already regretted his decision to come here all by himself. But he needed this promotion in order to be able to study another year to become a doctor.

Perhaps it seemed weird for someone who was aspiring to be a doctor to work as a vampire hunter. But everyone had to make their living somehow, and the payment was worth the trouble.

Still, he could not get rid of the feeling that this time would be more than the usual challenges. Just by wandering the empty streets, Leorio already had the feeling of being watched.

Leorio sighed. “Kurapika was probably right about this mission… it’s way too dangerous to hunt this vampire bastard all by myself…” He could still call for support; he had not taken any actions yet and there were no signs of this town being terrorized by vampires already.

 _“I’ll just sneak back to my car, drive to the gas station half an hour away from here and wait for Kurapika. It’ll all be fine…”_ He thought and returned to his parking spot which he should have chosen more carefully. Leaving his car this close to the forest, too far away from the houses to hear him if something were to happen to him – he had been truly careless.

Later that night he often remembered Kurapika’s words. _“If you make only one single mistake, you’re done for.”_  As always his friend would be proven right, but Leorio didn’t know that yet. What was about to happen next was something he really had not seen coming.

He opened the trunk of the car, carefully storing the gun above his set of knives and axes. Of course he had forgotten his jar of a dead man’s blood. _“Good job, Leorio… if there really is a vampire running around here, you wouldn’t even have been able to knock him out…”_

He shut the trunk again and almost jumped. A large figure was leaning on the car with huge golden eyes staring at him. The piercing glance kept him from moving for a moment, he could feel his blood freeze in his veins.

_“That’s it… I’m done for.”_

 

* * *

 

It was a lonely night for Hisoka.

Maybe he should not have gotten rid of his little toy so soon… But he had gotten tired of her quickly. The woman had been a model, from what he remembered, but he had already forgotten her face. But she had been blonde, with incredible curves and soft skin that smelled like tropical fruits.

Well, in the end she had not smelled like fruits anymore – but smelled like blood and rotten flesh. That’s what happened to humans when they were dead. They did not turn to ashes or stone like his kind did – they began to rot. And they usually began to smell really disgusting.

In the end, killing her had become a necessity – her family, friends and most importantly her manager had started to look for her and he would never have turned her into a vampire to stay with him. She had been too annoying.

He was walking on a rooftop, when suddenly something rather interesting caught his eye. A stranger.

After centuries of sharing his hunting grounds with his beloved friend, he knew each and every citizen that lived in these parts. But this man – he had never seen him before.

He wasn’t exactly Hisoka’s type. But he surely looked tasty enough to raise his interest. Nice statue, dark hair and long legs – he was overall rather handsome.

Hisoka kept following the man, staying completely unnoticed in the shadows of the night. But it only took him a while to notice that the poor man was completely lost – at least there was something troubling him. He seemed nervous, not to say insecure. But still his movements were smooth, as if he was trying to play it off.

“Too much pride to show any weakness, huh? My, how adorable…” he murmured and licked his lips. Breaking this one would be fun.

This man seemed like a great replacement for his last toy. Although he was kind of a fool - To leave his car this far away from the streets… No one would hear him if he were to scream for help.  _How convenient._

The man did not even notice him when he snuck up to the car and gently leaned against it. Hisoka saw how he placed his weapon in the trunk of his car. How foolish… he really was too careless to be a serious threat to him.

When the man finally shut the trunk of the car, he almost jumped as he noticed someone stood right in front of him.

Hisoka smirked and let his eyes wander over the man’s body.

“Hello there, handsome~”

 

* * *

 

Leorio could feel shivers run down his spine when the man began to speak.

“Hello there, handsome.”

He tried to get a view of the man in front of him. Sharp, piercing eyes shimmering golden in the moonlight framed by black eyeliner, red hair and his lips pursed to a playful smile which wasn’t exactly calming.

But what really set off his alarm, were the sharp fangs he could see hiding in the stranger’s mouth.

The figure in front of Leorio began to waltz towards him.

“Do you need help…? You seem…lost.” He said with a soft voice that let Leorio’s blood freeze once again.

“I’m… I’m fine.” Leorio managed to stutter. Why did he have to put his gun away? Today really wasn’t his day at all.

The man in front of him placed a finger underneath Leorio’s chin, raising his head a bit. Leorio felt the sharp nail on his skin as the man observed his now exposed throat.

Leorio gulped _. “He’s going to kill me.”_

 

* * *

 

Hisoka felt his blood boiling, the urge to dig his teeth into the man’s flesh, to tear his clothes apart right here, to take him right here on the cold ground – but he knew very well how to control himself.

The right time for that would come sooner or later. Once the man had fallen victim to his powers, he would willingly offer himself to him. There was no need to push things.

“Why don’t you come with me? It’s so cold out here…” Hisoka whispered into his ear. “ _And yet your blood is so hot, it’s driving me insane. I must have you!”_

He felt the man shudder under his touch and Hisoka let go of his chin. “ _Come on, just say yes.”_ Hisoka was no one to lose his temper, but he was getting impatient. Normally the man should be clinging to him by now, begging him to take him… with him.

But Hisoka would get what he wanted. He always did.

 

* * *

 

The energy that came from this man was beyond human. Leorio felt his heartbeat increasing; he was starting to feel dizzy as well. There was something about that man, something that was not right.

There was no doubt. Those irresistible eyes, these sharp nails and teeth, that weird smell that nearly made him lose all senses. This man in front of him was, without a doubt, a vampire. Never in his whole career had he met a vampire so strong in terms of seduction.

Reason told Leorio to stay strong, to reach for his gun and shoot down that damn irresistible bastard with his good looks. But this energy that came from him – Leorio felt weirdly drawn to him. He wanted… him, to be with him. He wanted those strong arms to hold him, those soft lips on his own, the sharp teeth and nails digging into his skin.

“ _What the hell is that bastard doing to me…?”_

The man opened his mouth once again and offered his hand to him.

“Now…? What do you say?” He said, victory already gleaming in his eyes. “Will you come with me?”

Leorio wanted to punch him, to kick him in the face – but that vampire bastard had won already. He knew it and so did Leorio.

As hard as he tried to resist – he couldn’t hold on any longer.

“Come with me.” The vampire spoke with a playful shimmer in his eyes. Leorio had no more strength to fight back. He gave in and took the man’s hand.

He had lost.

 

* * *

 

Hisoka let his hands run through the other man's dark hair. He could still taste the sweet blood on his lips as he watched Leorio's even breaths.

Seducing him had been much easier than expected, but no other vampire could compete with Hisoka's power of seduction. Of course his natural good looks gave him an advantage to begin with, but once his powers were activated, usually brushing his hands against his prey's skin and some hushed whispers were enough to make everyone fall for him.

After centuries- no, ages, all that had become meaningless to Hisoka. In some cases however things felt different. And it were usually exactly these cases that went quite differently.

This time he had felt the same flutter in his chest he had felt about 200 years ago. His nose had itched the same way and his heartbeat had gotten faster. But of course he had been too busy seducing Leorio, getting the man into his bed and feasting on him, to notice any of these things. If he had noticed, he would have known that keeping his new toy would become quite a challenge.

But he had not noticed those signs. He was far too busy to admire this adorable human to worry about anything. Just looking at that man made him want to taste his blood once more.

He leaned over, closer towards Leorio, so close the man could feel his cold breaths on his skin. Just one more bite and Hisoka would be satisfied...

However, he did not get the change to sink his teeth into Leorio's veins once more.

He heard the gate down in the castle's courtyard open. There was no living being that held the strength to open the two heavy stone doors. Only one person besides him was strong enough to perform such an act.

“Illumi...” Hisoka sighed. Although they had been friends - sometimes somewhat more than just friends - for decades, Illumi still had the most horrible timing. He always arrived just in time to kill the mood.

Hisoka considered letting his fellow wait in the entry hall to enjoy himself with his new toy a little longer. But lately he had played with Illumi's patience too often. It was not wise to let him wait. After all Illumi was his friend... the only one he had ever had. No matter how much trouble Hisoka had caused in the places they had stayed before, Illumi had never left his side, even when everyone else had.

He bend down to the sleeping man and whispered “We'll continue this later. Don't try to run away while I'm gone.”

 

* * *

 

When Hisoka arrived in the entry hall, it was empty. But he could feel Illumi's presence somewhere close to the castle's library.

He hadn't bothered getting dressed completely, pants were enough to meet with Illumi.

As he opened the wooden door, the creak was enough to catch the other vampire's attention. As Hisoka had expected, Illumi had already made himself comfortable in the lounge room. The carmine was lit, one of the potions of blood from the cabinet was gone and now opened and placed on the table.

“Hmm are you trying to get me into the mood already?” Hisoka purred and placed his hands on Illumi's shoulders from behind.

His hands were slapped away by the other vampire who walked straight past him with his usual cold glance.

“Do not get the wrong idea, Hisoka. I'm not here to let your hands anywhere near me.”

“From what I remember, you used to enjoy my hands being near you... and your bare skin, or my tongue close to your throat...” Hisoka smirked. Illumi could deny it all he wanted, but he had more than often been the one to make a move during those nights and days they had spent together huddled against one another, skin to skin.

Illumi threw an icy glare at Hisoka, but before he knew what was happening, he was pressed against the wall, Hisoka's body pressed against his own, his tongue twisting around his and their fingers intertwined.

Hisoka knew if he would go any farther, he would not get away without some serious injuries – getting intimate with Illumi was closer to unarmed combat than anything romantic. But he did not care, his hunger had still not been satisfied tonight.

He pressed his groin against Illumi's and let his hands slip under the man's shirt.

Illumi hissed and dug his claws into Hisoka's bag, leaving behind throbbing wounds.

“I will rip off your head if you keep going.”

Hisoka groaned. It was already too late for him to hold back and if Illumi had truly intended to stop him, Hisoka would not be able to move anymore.

Illumi had an incredible self-control. However, he was not able to keep it up well around Hisoka.

The taller man moved his lips downwards Illumi's neck, leaving behind hickeys and bruises. As predicted that was enough for Illumi to let himself go and he gave in. After doing this for ages on a regular basis, Hisoka knew exactly how to appease to Illumi's own restrained hunger.

 

* * *

 

Two hours later Hisoka lay next to Illumi on the expensive Persian rug in front of the fire place, both completely undressed.

Hisoka had ventured to fetch himself a potion of blood as well, while Illumi seemed to find great interest in the books standing on the shelf.

After a while Illumi finally began to speak and broke the silence between the two of them.

“You know that I did not come here for this, do you?” he asked.

Hisoka chuckled. “I knew... but I didn't care.” He turned around, now facing the other man directly. “So what did you come here for?”

Illumi sat up and threw back his long black hair. “You reek of human. Who did you abduct this time...? Don't tell me it's another poor girl that had her entire life ahead of her.”

Hisoka smirked. “Don't worry, this time it's a complete stranger...no one will even notice he was here.” That wasn't completely true... Someone would eventually look for Leorio. Hisoka knew that and so did Illumi.

“I hope so. But you should get rid of his vehicle as soon as possible.”

“Hmm… I was hoping you would be so kind and do that for me.” Hisoka murmured into Illumi’s ear who rolled his eyes and tried to move away from him.

“No way I’ll help you cover up the traces of another missing human. Do it yourself, I’m not your servant.”

Hisoka moved up to Illumi again and began to play around his a lock of the other’s black hair. “But you are my very dear friend~ and it would mean the world to me if you would be so kind and help me one more time.” He pursed his lips into a smile and looked into Illumi’s eyes.

No one could resist his power of seduction, not even Illumi.

Illumi sighed. “Fine.” He got up to get dressed. “But the next time something like this happens, I’m not going to help you… maybe I’ll even show the vampire hunters the way to your door.”

Hisoka chuckled. “You would do that to me? Well, let them come. I need to stock up my blood supply anyhow. ”

“Then draw some more attention to you with another corpse lying in the streets and you won’t have to steal from the blood bank again.” Illumi almost sounded upset. He was probably just annoyed that Hisoka had asked him for another favor, but maybe he was a bit jealous too. Who knew?

Illumi left soon after their conversation, disappearing into the night. There were still 4 hours until sunrise and the rest of the time seemed perfect for getting to know his new toy a little better.

 

* * *

 

Terrified. He was terrified. With another kick at the door he tried to open up a way to escape. But the door was too heavy for his still weakened body. He was terrified and tired. Leorio had to take a step back and held his forehead.

There was no way out, except for the window but from this height it would be pure madness to jump. Staying in here was the better option, though it was not a good one.

What had that vampire lunatic been thinking when he chose him as his next victim. It was even more questionable why he had not killed him yet, but instead locked him away in what seemed to be a bedroom. More importantly was why most of his clothes were gone when he had woken up.

But then Leorio remembered. He remembered every single detail. He felt dirty and ashamed. Some vampire slayer he was… to end up in bed with the dreadful creature. He was a failure to their order. If only he had listened to Kurapika… but now it was too late for regret.

Without weapons or religious artifacts, taking care of that creature would be impossible. Maybe he could escape while the vampire was asleep during daytime. Yes, that seemed like a good plan. Like a somewhat good plan at least….

 

* * *

 

Hisoka was shaking with excitement when he made his way to the room where his little human was waiting. He wanted him… again, but humans broke so easily, he decided to leave him be for tonight.

But he wanted to see him again, admire those eyes that hid a warmth behind the surface. It was true Leorio had not been his exact type at first, but once Hisoka had gotten close enough to him he had felt an energy filled with such kindness, liveliness and peacefulness… he just had to take Leorio with him. He was just adorable… and delicious.

Not many other humans could compete with the taste of his blood. Hisoka could not chug it like he did with the blood from bottles or random humans. Leorio’s blood was like a special treat, an expensive dessert only eaten on festive days. But he wanted to taste him again.

He opened the heavy door that lead to the bedroom with ease. Leorio had been sitting on the bed but now jumped up like a startled animal.

“You!” he gasped and stared at Hisoka as if he was the devil himself. “Stay away!” Leorio yelled again and crossed his fingers, trying to keep the vampire away from him.

Hisoka could just chuckle at the man and moved towards him. “That gesture only works with demons.” He spoke and gently shoved one of Leorio’s hands away to break the cross. That wasn’t exactly true. It did not only work on demons and was actually quite painful for Hisoka, but after living for such a long time it was nothing compared to other pains he had suffered. Besides, Leorio did not need to know about his weaknesses.

Leorio shuddered under the vampire’s touches and took a step back, but there was no escape. _“Please don’t kill me.”_

“Hm? Are you still scared of me?” Hisoka asked as if he could read Leorio’s thoughts.

Leorio frowned, despite panicking on the inside. “I’m not scared of you, monster! I-… I’ll kill you!”

Hisoka laughed. “My, my… how cute. Please go ahead and try to kill me, if you’d like. But then I could never please you like I did before…”

Leorio blushed. He was embarrassed even thinking about what had happened between the two of them. From his memories it seemed he had actually enjoyed it… but it felt just plain wrong. “Must have been out of my mind…” he muttered and then spoke more clearly. “Hell do I care! I don’t need your hands or other parts of your body anywhere close to me again!” he barked.

“Is that how you feel about me?” Hisoka asked, looking deep into Leorio’s eyes. No one would resist him, would refuse him-! Leorio had to fall for him like everyone else and become his own.

“That’s exactly how I feel, you-“ Leorio felt a cold shiver run down his spine. He got the same weird feeling as before… the feeling of using control. And he did not like it. Alright, he had to admit that vampire was really good looking… and quite charming, if one overlooked the fact that he had abducted him.

But he was a vampire, a monster that had to be killed and Leorio would not give in and submit to his powers ever again. Not this time… he had to complete this job at all costs.

“Hm… what a shame. I really like you.” Hisoka said and moved closer towards Leorio, brushing his hand against the man’s flushed cheek.

“Stop.” He had to stay strong. But what if Hisoka really liked him… even loved him- _“What the hell am I thinking? Get it together, dammit!”_

“Do you want me to stop…?” Hisoka asked with a devilish grin, observing Leorio curiously and moved his lips closer, only millimeters away from Leorio’s.

“I-…” Did he want him to stop? Leorio was not so sure anymore. He was losing to the vampire again. But this time felt less against his own will than the last time… Maybe he did not want Hisoka to stop, maybe he wanted him to keep going… to go even farther than the last time… maybe- _“This is wrong. I can’t give in… I have a duty to fulfill. I came here to kill him, to protect the citizens of this town…”_

But how could he kill this man if he was the reason his legs grew weaker, his hands got sweaty and his voice started to shake? If these weren’t Leorio’s own thoughts, this man was too powerful for his own good. No man should have so much power.

The second his lips touched Hisoka’s, was the second he felt like betraying his order, all his previous believes… he felt like betraying himself, but part of it wanted this. Part of him wanted to commit such a sin, a sin no one in the order would ever forgive… He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to even forgive himself for being that weak. But he had given in to the vampire, this time without being able to turn back. It would have been easy to put the blame on the vampire’s power of seduction, but Leorio was the only one to blame.

Hisoka pulled away from the kiss and gave Leorio a questioning look. The kiss had been the answer he had been waiting for. But he wanted to hear it from Leorio himself, that he was willing to become his. To submit to him with his own words.

 “You did not answer my question, so I’ll ask you one more time… Do you truly want me to stop?” He asked again, with an expression much more serious than before.

Leorio had to catch his breath after the kiss and dared to look into the two devilish slits that were waiting for his reply. The answer came off his lips easier than the decision he had made.

“…No.”

He had lost to the vampire once again, but this time it did not matter. This time he was willing to give in.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurapika decides to investigate the circumstances of Leorio's disappearance...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's just say it's hard to write smut scenes when english isn't your first language. But i'm happy how this one turned out.

It had been weeks since he had heard of Leorio. Something must’ve happened to him on his mission.

Kurapika clutched the glass of water in his hand which was almost crushed by the pressure. He felt his anger growing every minute. How careless of Leorio to seek out the hideout of the creature which was presumably a vampire.

Both of them had received the reports and he had even offered the man to go on that mission together, but Leorio had denied his propose.

“Foolish…”

As mad as he was, Kurapika was even more worried than he was angered. Their job was nothing to be taken lightly, and yet Leorio had overestimated himself. Leorio was lucky if he hadn’t ended up as the vampire’s dinner.

Now the woman sitting right across of him finally began to speak.

“Kurapika, are you sure that going after him will be a good idea?”

For the first time he noticed the cracks in his glass. He took a deep breath and carefully placed it on the bar table.

He looked up, giving the woman his full attention.

“Yes, I am. I can’t just ignore whatever has happened to Leorio, Senritsu.”

Senritsu’s expression told him she felt troubled. “But please be more attentive than he was. You can never be too careful in the matter of dealing with vampires.”

“I know.” Kurapika emptied his glass and got up to leave the bar.

He had all the equipment he would need to kill that monster in the trunk of his car - Axes and guns waiting to be used. But he planned to use his chains to put that vampire to an end, making the last moments of its life nothing but a suffering.

If something had happened to Leorio, he would never forgive that monster.

He turned on the car’s engine.

“That idiot better be alive.”

 

* * *

 

The moon’s light casted long shadows on the ground. Large fog patches hang above the churchyard of the small seaside town. The old crypt on the graveyard was wide open. The cold wind blew through the broken windows, creating an eerie howling noise.

It was already past midnight. The figure that sat on the sarcophagus inside the crypt threw back its long, pitch-black hair.

 He was late…

“ _As always._ ”

It was indeed a young man who spend his night at the graveyard, at this unholy hour. At least he appeared to be young, with his porcelain skin and elegant features. His eyes, that were even darker than his hair, held a dark desire. A kind of unquenchable thirst.

Finally the person he had been waiting for appeared. Large black wings soared through the night sky and a taller figure landed in front of the crypt.

“I was about to take my leave, you know?”

“My dearest Illumi, please forgive me. I had something important to take care of.” The figure waltzed towards the man, its heels clicking on the stone floor.

Illumi, the man who sat on the sarcophagus, did not move an inch, nor did his expression change. But the bloodthirsty aura around him began to fade away.

“I take you were too occupied with your pet?” He asked flatly.

Hisoka, the taller man, took a lock of Illumi’s hair and began to toy around with it. He placed the other hand on the sarcophagus next to the hand of the other man and leaned forward. Almost too close for two people who were supposed to be nothing but associates. But that was just Hisoka.

 “I was.” He murmured, his voice soft and deep, as he gazed into those two eyes that were akin to darkness itself. A grin crossed his lips.

“You sound jealous... Are you jealous, Illumi?”

Illumi stared back at the man in front of him.

 “I assure you, I am not. I don’t care that you enjoy the company of a human…”he sighed and continued. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, you know that his disappearance will not stay unnoticed. You should have just drank his blood and left his corpse somewhere. Someone will come looking for your ‘pet’ sooner or later.”

“Hm? But you will surely support me when it comes to fending them off, won’t you?” Hisoka asked and let go of the lock of hair.

“I haven’t decided yet. I still think it’s foolish to keep a human around. At least turn him into a vampire and make it official.”

Hisoka chuckled. “I’d love to, but my beloved little human needs some more time to think about becoming mine until the end of time.”

Illumi turned away his face, almost with disgust. He and Hisoka had been comrades for a long time, almost for an eternity. But Hisoka would always go too far when it came to his treatment of humans.  
Usually he kept them as a pet for a few days and once he got bored of them, they ended up as dinner.

This time seemed to be different, however. Hisoka kept this special human man alive since a few weeks. Maybe he was actually serious about turning the man into a vampire. But that was ridiculous; Hisoka would never fall in love – not ever. At least that was what Illumi thought.

Illumi rose to his feet, coming dangerously close to Hisoka’s face, and moved towards the wooden door.

“Well, once you make up your mind, why don’t you introduce us?” He suggested, almost jokingly. He was sure this would just end like it usually did, with Hisoka getting tired of the human and killing him in the end.

Hisoka followed Illumi and took his hand. “And you are sure you’re not jealous?” he asked playfully, with a bright grin on his face.

Illumi shoved him away and walked out of the crypt. “You wish. Love only weakens the mind, don’t forget that.”

Hisoka chuckled. “My, Illumi, how icy you are today. If you keep that up, you’ll die alone, you know?”

“What would be so bad about that? I feel no urge for any kind of affection.”

“Hm… did not seem to me like that some weeks ago. But have it your way.” Hisoka said. “Are you leaving already? I thought we could spend some more time together.”

“I thought you were busy taking care of your new pet. Besides, I’m in no mood to go hunt for food together tonight.” Illumi said.

“Oh, why is that?”

“Drama with my brother again. The last time we met, Killua made a scene again. He keeps talking about wanting to be human, it’s just ridiculous. Both of you should give up that unhealthy obsession with humans. It’s unnatural.”

Hisoka chuckled. “I can see what your brother finds so fascinating about being human. Could it be he found a new friend perhaps?”

“He did, but I don’t want to talk about it. It’s just foolish and pointless, humans are nothing but a source of food and it should stay that way. But do whatever you want.” Illumi replied and made a move to leave.

“Don’t be so harsh. Maybe one day you’ll see that humans can be more than just a snack.”

Large black bat-wings spread from Illumi’s back and lifted him into the air.

What a fool Hisoka could be sometimes. The abduction of his new human pet would not cause uproar, but someone would come looking for the man sooner or later. In the worst case that someone was a vampire hunter. Illumi remembered the crest on the weapons he had found in the car of Hisoka’s human. It was the crest of an ancient order of vampire slayers. He had seen it in old documents years ago. It was likely that within the next days one of the man’s associates would show up here.

What did he let himself get involved in?

Illumi landed in front of a large cave deep in the woods. It was his lair since more than four centuries, and at first his mother had been mortified that her son, a vampire of royal blood, would choose such an unfitting location.

But the family’s servants had turned the deeper parts of the cave into an elegant place to live. And a cave was less suspicious than the old caste Hisoka had chosen as his hideout. That feyness would be the death of Hisoka one day. His whole behavior drew too much attention.

It already began to dawn when Illumi closed the lid of his coffin to go to sleep. Before he drifted into sleep, he wondered how he had ended up with such an exhausting friend as Hisoka.

 

* * *

 

Two days later, Kurapika had finally arrived at the small town near the sea. It was only noon when he crossed the plaza in front of the city hall, but the whole town was covered with deep fog.

“What an eerie atmosphere…” Kurapika mumbled, as he looked around for any clues of Leorio’s whereabouts.

He had asked for information in the police department, but no one remembered even seeing him here. No abandoned car had been found, no traces of blood. Either way Leorio had just disappeared from the earth’s surface completely or someone was really good at covering up his abduction.

It was not the first time Kurapika had went on a mission where the vampires or other creatures had erased all evidence that there had been an incident.  
His only option was to ask in a couple of hotels. Leorio must have rented a room somewhere… unless he had decided to sleep in his car once again.

But no one in any of the three hotels had ever seen him, or heard of him at all.

Kurapika felt like slapping his head. Of course Leorio would have chosen the cheaper option…

He groaned. “Leorio, you’re killing me.”

Maybe the vampires had left after taking Leorio… or maybe they were still in town. He had no idea where he should look for the hideout or where to look at all.

His only option was to wait for the vampires to return. They had to eat after all. If nothing happened, well then Leorio would be lost forever… Even the thought of that made Kurapika’s heart ache.

“I’ll get these bastards… I’ll find you, Leorio. That’s a promise.” He said to himself.

Throughout the day the fog became thicker, making it hard to see one’s own hands.

Kurapika felt as if someone up there had something against him today. It was impossible to see anything outside after the sun had set.

But during such a foggy night no one would set a foot outside, making it impossible for the vampires to hunt for food.

Maybe tonight he would finally be able to get some sleep.

 

* * *

 

Living in a coastal area was a curse sometimes. The fog that came from far out the sea had wavered closer to the town during the last two days. Tonight it had spread all over the small town, making it impossible to fly without getting into an accident.

Illumi remembered his first flying lesson on that foggy night back home very well. After crashing into the church’s tower, the then-young vampire had quickly decided to never fly in the fog ever again.

He had superhuman hearing and smelling senses, but Illumi had always depended on his even better eyesight. It was too much of a challenge to go hunt for a meal tonight. Besides, in a night like this, no human would dare to walk the streets.

After locking the entrance to his lair, he walked back into his sleeping chamber. Going back to sleep was the most comfortable option for him right now. It had something comforting to lie down in his coffin, close the lid and blend out everything else that happened above the surface.

Unlike Hisoka, Illumi preferred loneliness. He liked the quiet, the deadly silence inside his coffin. It still smelled like earth and the perfume of its previous owner. Judging by the fragrance it must have been a young woman with a preference for daisies.

After staring at the cushion of the coffin’s wall in front of his eyes, he closed his eyes and tried to sleep. He had often read in books about the dreams human’s head while they were asleep. It must feel amazing to be able to have dreams. Sleeping for a vampire was just like being dead. He did not breathe, he did not move… neither did any other member of his family or Hisoka.

But he never knew it any other way and he was fine with that.

Although he could feel his hunger growing, he felt too tired to pay any attention to it. He could hunt for food just as well tomorrow night.

 

* * *

 

Two hours ago the sun had set and Kurapika was on his way to look for the vampires. More specifically, he had to lure them out somehow.

What looked like an easier prey than a complete stranger, lost in the middle of the night? But at the same time he was vulnerable. Kurapika hated to take the role of the victim, even if it was for pretend and only a short time. In the moment he was attacked he had to react fast enough or he would really end up as a vampire’s food.

But it was his only chance to find Leorio.

Even if he should be bitten… if that would help him find his friend, it was a sacrifice he was willing to make.

 

* * *

 

Tonight was one of those nights in which Illumi felt like stabbing Hisoka. Once again he had waited for the man to arrive at their meeting point, and once again he had been stood up. It was the third time within four weeks.

Hisoka had never dared to not show up without at least excusing himself in advantage. But ever since he had caught himself that new human pet of his, he apparently felt like it was alright to leave Illumi waiting.

He could have gone on a killing spree, he could have broken all the mirrors in his lair… but Illumi was not that kind of person. It was no use to get angry about anything Hisoka did – the man didn’t care what others thought about him anyway.

But no one stood up Illumi. No one had ever dared to offend him like that and Hisoka would have to pay for his behavior sooner or later. Perhaps he should stop helping the man to hide any vampire-related evidence and let the vampire slayers find out about his whereabouts accidentally.

It would be fun to let Hisoka fight with them and just watch… but what other friends did he have besides him? If he were to die at the hands of those vampire slayers, Illumi would be all alone. When he thought about it hunting without Hisoka tended to end more successful as when they went to hunt for blood together.

He decided to forget about it one more time. He spread his wings and flew towards the town.

Unlike Hisoka, Illumi was not the kind who snuck up on his preferred victim from the shadows and jump at them. He preferred to hunt a bit more discreet and less clichéd.

It was a mystery to him why Hisoka loved to live up to the stereotypical vampire. He liked to bathe in blood, to wear a lot of black eyeliner, to wear extraordinary clothes… Sometimes he even wore a black cloak - though he only wore the ugly thing at home.

But the way he hunted wasn’t any better. Hisoka tended to shred his poor victim to pieces with his fangs. For him it had something to do with passion and it probably was really fulfilling for him – but it always caused uproar when the corpse was found. It never went any other way, because Hisoka did not drink just some of his victim’s blood… he sucked them dry completely.

Illumi on the other hand never drank more than two cups, unless he was unnaturally thirsty. He also preferred to leave the victim alive. He would never assault humans on the street or somewhere in the woods. That was what only savages did, the kind of vampires who did not know how to behave themselves. And those were usually the ones who got killed by vampire hunters the fastest.

In Illumi’s case there were certain requirements that had to apply before he would even let his lips touch human flesh. Blood was delicious, but it was the best when it was hot, almost boiling. The way he preferred to dine was when his victim’s body was in the state of pure ecstasy.

Vampires released a certain kind of hormones that drew everyone to them, it made them irresistible. And yet each time was a new, different venture for Illumi. It made things more interesting for him. There was nothing fulfilling in simply sucking a human’s blood – he needed more than that.

As often as he shared beds with his victims, it was never anything emotional, nothing romantic. It was merely part of his dining ritual; the physical act was merely a welcome addition.

Illumi wasn’t too demanding when it came to how he preferred his victims to look like. What was to expect from a small town anyway? He knew almost everyone who lived here, at least by their faces – though he doubted anyone here actually knew him. Thankfully after he was done with his victims they forgot how he looked like, which made the whole feasting situation a lot easier.

It was unusual for someone new to move here and during this season tourists were a rare sight. And yet tonight, for the first time in years, he saw someone new, someone he had never seen in these parts before. Someone who immediately caught his interest.

This night had just gotten much more interesting.

 

* * *

 

 

He had intended to play the role of the stranger who was unfamiliar with the place and overall lost in all the small alleys that spread across the whole town.

Now he didn’t have to pretend anymore – he was actually lost.

If only he had taken the map with him that now was still lying in his hotel room. He felt like slapping himself. Rule number one of their order was to never put oneself in potential danger without being fully prepared.

The fog from the last days had lifted and the moon shone down onto the streets, filling them with an eerie atmosphere.

If the vampires were to attack him right now, he had the weapons to defend himself, but if he would be overpowered of if he’d lose the weapons he had nowhere to run.

“Curse this place and those vampires…” he growled and tried to make it back to the plaza in front of the city hall. If he was right, there should be a map there… although he doubted he was right. Luck was not exactly on his side tonight.

After another 10 minutes of walking in circles he felt like just sitting down somewhere and wait for sunrise. It was pointless to keep walking; he would only end up getting even more lost.

Suddenly he felt a presence appearing behind him. It did not feel threatening, but it also didn’t feel like the person behind him was just one of the town’s citizens taking a walk in the middle of the night. The energy behind him felt odd, as if it did not belong here, into this time or place.

He shouldn’t have turned around; he shouldn’t have laid his eyes upon the man. But this certain presence was somehow irresistible.

Not far away from him stood a man with long black hair. Well, he did not just stand there, it appeared as if he had been on a walk and was now surprised by the sudden eye contact.

His huge dark eyes sparkled under the moonlight for a short moment when he tilted his head and began to speak.

“Uhm… may I help you?” It was an innocent question, only underlined by the gentle tone of his voice. The way the man spoke, it felt soft…and warm. It was a pleasant voice.

And yet it sent shivers down Kurapika’s spine. He should have been alarmed by this odd feeling already than began to grow inside of him, but he was too fascinated by the man in front of him.

“I…” He shouldn’t tell him anything personal. Even if he did not seem suspicious, he could still turn out to be a potential thread. On the other hand he could just as well help him to get back to his hotel…

“I wanted to take a walk, but somehow I got lost.” He said.

The man seemed surprised, but a smile crossed his face. “I see. It’s not the first time someone who’s not from here gets lost in this labyrinth of alleyways. But you should be more careful, it’s dangerous out here at night.”

Kurapika raised an eyebrow. “Oh, is that so?” Now that was really a suspicious thing to say.

“Well, there was a terrible murder a few weeks ago; the perpetrator has not been caught yet.” The man replied.

“Wasn’t there any DNA on the corpse?  In such a small town, it shouldn’t be that hard to find the murderer.”

The man kept quiet for a while. “The corpse was technically untouched… No fingerprints or any kind of body fluids… there was nothing.”

Kurapika hummed and nodded. The man was speaking the truth, it was easy to tell. And everything about that incident lead to the conclusion that the murder had been the work of a vampire.

“But still, it’s dangerous out here at night. You should return to your hotel or wherever you’re staying.” The man said.

Kurapika sighed. “I would. If only I knew how the get there… It’s the hotel next to the churchyard.”

“Ah, I live close by. If you’d like to, I can show you how to get there.”

The smile that accompanied that offer was enough to wrap Kurapika around the man’s finger. He had always been able to resist any kind of flirting or vampiric seduction. But this man had something to him, something that gave him an odd yet comfortable feeling. He was almost creepily charming, but he was handsome as well… He had a thing for black hair to begin with, but this stranger had an almost marvelous face and those two dark eyes that appeared as if they stared right into his soul…

 _“What the hell am I thinking?”_ He would not fall for some kind of stranger he had only met just yet. It would be a terrible mistake to let his guard down.

But perhaps this man was his only chance to get back to his hotel right now.

“If it’s not too much to ask for, that would be lovely.” He said.

The man smiled slightly.

“Fine then, it shouldn’t take too long.”

As they made their way through the alleys, Kurapika had no idea that he had already been caught in the web of a creature that he would hardly be able to escape from.

 

* * *

 

Illumi had immediately recognized the crest on the stranger’s dagger that rested on the holster next to his belt.

He was one of the vampire slayers. Just as he had foretold it, the accomplices of Hisoka’s little pet had shown up to find him.

But the man across the street did not seem like a thread at all. He was in a state of confusion, as if he was lost.

He had spun around so suddenly, Illumi had almost jumped back. One could never be too careful with those vampire hunters. But as he saw those huge grey orbs, his tension was eased. He would be no thread in this state.

Perhaps he could use the man’s restlessness to his own advantage. It shouldn’t be too hard to charm him and gain his trust.

Hisoka was a master of vampiric seduction, but Illumi’s ways of using this ability raised less suspicion in his victims. After centuries of using it, this certain case should be a piece of cake.

“Uhm… may I help you?”

 

* * *

 

What happened next felt like a dream to Kurapika. Not because it was unbelievably beautiful, but because it felt unreal. As if all this wasn’t actually happening.

Each step towards the hotel, next to this man, Kurapika felt as if he was losing his mind. As if he wasn’t in control of his own body and his thoughts. With each step this man seemed more beautiful to him, with each damn step this unexplainable hunger inside of him grew… He wanted him. He wanted him badly.

But all his life Kurapika had never been the one to flirt with people he had just met. This was madness, there was no way he would try to make a move on the good-looking stranger.

And he didn’t have to. When they arrived at the hotel, Kurapika turned around to face the man to thank him for leading the way.

He seemed to observe the old building. Maybe he was interested in architecture, who knew. Finally he noticed that Kurapika had been waiting for him.

Kurapika began to speak, though he didn’t have an idea where he was going with this.

“…Thank you for your help. I wouldn’t have been able to find back without you.” He mumbled and caught a glimpse of the man’s face. There was something unsettling about his huge dark eyes…as if darkness itself dwelled inside the dark holes.

But Kurapika couldn’t help himself. He was fascinated with this man and he didn’t want him to leave just yet.

“You don’t have to thank me. It was nothing.”

It was as if Kurapika’s lips began to move on their own, when he replied “No, I owe you something. At least let me invite you to a drink.”

“What on earth am I doing here?” Almost no one in the order had such strong self-control as Kurapika, but he could not resist the urge to get closer to this man. He would have been cautious under normal conditions, but his mind was hazy and he was unable to think clearly about something else than the stranger in front of him.

The man smiled slightly at the suggestion. “To invite someone you just met for a drink when there’s a murderer running around… seems quite risky to me.”

“You could have killed me plenty of times already. Besides, I don’t mind a little risk.” Kurapika murmured, his body moving closer to the man on its own.

“No risk, no fun, huh?” The man replied.

His black eyes swallowed every light coming from the dim streetlights. The longer Kurapika looked into them, the more he felt as if he was being swallowed by the dark abyss himself.

Then everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

Drinks being swallowed, a few meaningless words exchanged – it did not matter, as long as it lead to what Kurapika wanted since he had laid his eyes upon the man.

Once they entered the hotel room, their lips brushed against each other before the door had even closed. There was no need to turn on the lights, it would only waste precious time that could be used for more important things.

Kurapika could feel the other was ready to go another step further, but before he could let himself go completely, there was something he needed to know.

When he broke the passionate kiss he found himself pressed against the wall next to the window, his hips embraced by two strong arms, with hands ready to slip underneath his shirt.

After finally catching his breath he began to speak. “I never got your name.”

“Neither did I.”

“Kurapika. Now, why don’t you tell me your name already, so we can carry on?” Kurapika felt his blood rushing and his pulse speeding up. He was getting impatient.

“Illumi does it.” Illumi replied and leaned in for another kiss.

As their tongues intertwined, Illumi’s skillful hands began to unbutton Kurapika’s shirt. Kurapika shuddered when cold fingers brushed over his abs and pulled his lower body closer towards their owner.

Before he knew what he was doing he pulled the man deeper into the kiss, gasping for air in-between, and ended up on the table in the corner of the room with Illumi on top of him. To make some room he pushed down everything on top of the table, including a bible which had been meant as a protection, but now landed on the floor somewhere under the chair. It was too late for any kind of protection now, he wouldn’t have cared if the man on top pf him had been the devil himself, he wanted him.

Kurapika let out a sharp breath when the taller man broke their kiss once again.

Illumi kissed the blonde’s neck and gently bit his ear before he murmured “Why don’t we move somewhere more comfortable?”

Although he was growing more and more impatient, he could get along with that suggestion.

Kurapika removed Illumi’s shirt, threw it away and rested his arms around the taller man’s neck. With each inch that their bodies came closer together, Kurapika felt an eerie cold coming from Illumi’s body, which slowly began to melt away once their remaining clothes were removed.

A gasp escaped Kurapika’s mouth when he was pushed onto the hard mattress. For a moment he could admire the pale, well build body in front of him, before Illumi climbed on top of him to continue their kiss.

Kurapika let his hands slide down Illumi’s back and placed them on his hips, to pull their bodies closer together. He shuddered when cold skin and his own burning flesh collided. As the other’s warm lips reached his neck, he let out a soft moan and tilted back his head, exposing more skin.

More skin to dig one’s teeth into.

A sharp pain emerged from his neck, as if two sharp needles were piercing his skin, right into his main artery. Kurapika felt like jumping up, but the other’s hands held him down with his lower body pressed against his own. Pleasure blended into the pain, turning it into a burning lust that set Kurapika’s whole body aflame. A gasp escaped his lips and he dug his nails into the other’s back.

With each pulse beat, his vision became more blurry and he felt his strength fading away slowly. As if it was being sucked out of him…- the pain disappeared.

Kurapika could finally open his eyes and wanted to close them immediately afterwards. His head was spinning and his vision was vague, but it was enough to make out the view in front of him.

Blood-smeared lips with sharp fangs forming a grin, with drops of blood dripping off the mouth corner onto his skin.

The last thing he remembered were two dark, ecstatic eyes staring into his own and the taste of his own blood on his lips.

 

* * *

 

The next morning, Kurapika was woken up by the dim sunlight shining into his face. His head ached, his mouth was dry, his throat hoarse, his back ached and… he felt sore.

The sheets right where his head had rested were still stained with blood. His own blood. When he walked into the bathroom, he immediately noticed the biting marks on his neck.

His whole life he had trained to fend off vampires, to eradicate them… only to end up in bed with one of them. The humiliation. The shame he would have to bear from now on.

He was raging with anger. He wanted him dead, that vampire bastard who had likely done the same thing to Leorio - or even worse – had already killed him.

“Just you wait. I’ll find you… and then I’ll end you. That’s my promise to you, Illumi.”

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Illumi makes a selfish mistake that later puts him in a rather uncomfortable position, while Kurapika thirsts for vengeance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This started out as a halloween fic, but then life got in the way and now it has become something like a christmas/new years gift fic over a year. But I hope you'll enjoy this and the last (upcoming) chapter nonetheless.
> 
> Happy Holidays!

Gazing down on the sleeping body in front of him, Illumi came to the conclusion that he could not kill the man. The crest that adorned the weapons and blades he had found were indisputable proof that the man he had shared the bed with was part of an ancient order of vampire slayers.

Although the blond had let Illumi into his bed rather quick for someone who was meant to be wary of every stranger he met, there was no doubt that he could turn out to be a serious threat.

If Kurapika was to find Hisoka and his new pet, not only would he be in trouble - Illumi would be as well. Unless someone killed that vampire hunter first.

Illumi’s fingers turned into sharp claws that slid over the biting marks he had left on the man’s neck. Just one carefully aimed slash and all problems would be solved.

But perhaps that was not what Illumi wanted. The thought of killing the hunter felt wrong. Maybe he was really going mad after all these centuries...

He could not bring himself to kill the man. As much as he desired to see the hunter’s blood spilled, part of him felt as if it would not fulfill him the way he would have liked to. No, he would keep him around a little longer…

 

* * *

 

Hisoka watched his beloved resting peacefully on the pillow next to him. Leorio had left his glasses on the embellished table that stood across the other side of the room. He looked much more innocent without them in Hisoka’s eyes, not that he looked too mature with them. But Hisoka adored especially the soft core the man tried to hide behind his impulsive and brash nature.

Once the ritual had been performed, Leorio probably wouldn’t need those glasses ever again.

It had been disappointing for Hisoka that the man was still unsure about becoming a vampire, but he had to be patient. The right time would come.

Hisoka let his fingers gently run through Leorio’s hair and placed his lips on his forehead.

“I’m looking forward to spending the nights together with you…” He murmured and rose out of the bed to get another potion of blood.

Leorio’s blood was delicious, but after spending more time with him, Hisoka couldn’t bring himself to bite him. Unless he wanted him to of course, which had happened on occasion.

As he heard the clock chime 2 in the morning, he set off for his and Illumi’s meeting point. If he stood him up once more, it would be insulting – even for Hisoka.

The night was clear, cold as always, but due to the lack of clouds the moon illuminated the graveyard close to the church.

Hisoka landed on a large tombstone with ease, right next to the crypt where his fellow vampire already waited for him.

“You’re late again.” Illumi said. “Why does that not surprise me any longer?”

Hisoka smirked and minced over to his friend, placing a hand under his chin.  
“Hmm. Well, I apologize. I wasn’t aware it was that late already.”

“I figured as much… “

“Now, what is this about?” Hisoka let go of Illumi’s chin.

Illumi gently pushed back his hair and glanced over to Hisoka, who now observed the engravings on the cracked wall.  
“I met another vampire hunter a few nights ago. He was looking for your… _pet_.”

Hisoka spun around on his heels. “Is that so? I was wondering who that smell belonged to. It’s almost… stuck to you. I take you took care of him for me?”

“I didn’t get the chance.”

Hisoka raised an eyebrow and took a step forward, closer to Illumi. “Huh, you didn’t get the chance you say. But it seems the two of you got awfully close.”  
Illumi could not fool Hisoka.

Illumi slightly stuck out his bottom lip and replied “As I said, I met the friend of your pet and he seems to be a lot more capable than… whatever his name is. He will most likely start searching the woods when he can’t find anything in town.”

Hisoka chuckled. “To play with fire like that… Have you considered the thought that he might find you first?”

“We’ll see about that.”

“I suppose so.” Hisoka muttered and continued “Well, as much as I would love to meet a skilled hunter for once, I won’t let him take my precious away.”

“Are you that close already?” Illumi asked. It was unusual for Hisoka to become so obsessed with one of his pets, but if it made him happy, who was he to judge.

“Closer than you might think. Are you really sure you are not jealous? I could not bear to know that I hurt the feelings of my precious friend, you know?” Hisoka replied jokingly, although the last part had been sincere.

They had kept each other company for what felt like an eternity, and as much as he loved to tease him, Hisoka had no intention of upsetting the only friend he ever had.

“I am not jealous, will you stop asking me that? I appreciate your company, but I don’t want you around me all the time.”

Hisoka’s smile wavered. “Always so harsh.”

Illumi’s entire behavior and appearance made him appear soft and calm, until he opened his mouth. He simply refused to articulate himself as polite as someone would expect it of a vampire his rank. But once the courts had become dull and nobles had lost their power, Hisoka had found out about Illumi’s true self. He certainly knew how to keep up appearances, but was merciless with whoever proved to be a nuisance to him.

Perhaps one day Illumi would meet his match and soften. Or maybe not… Hisoka knew him well enough to not be too hopeful.

“It’s merely the truth. But if you and your pet get along that well, I suppose I shall be happy for you.” Illumi replied, his expression neutral as always which made it hard to tell whether he truly meant it or not.

Since Illumi had no more things to discuss, they said their goodbyes and Illumi disappeared in the fog that had gathered at the edge of the forest.

Hisoka remained where he stood for a while and watched the wafts of mist moving closer from the lines of trees.

Illumi had become more and more careless over the time. But the more Hisoka thought about it, he had not paid as much attention to cover up his tracks properly himself. Centuries ago, they had done as they pleased without having to fear any consequences. But as time and humanity had progressed, it had become more difficult to go hunting for fresh blood.

With new technology the hunter clans had become a greater threat and within the last century, they had eradicated more than half of the vampire population.

Of course it had been none of name, only lowlifes that had given into the hunger and had grown careless enough to hunt out in the open.

But perhaps both Illumi and Hisoka had grown bored of hiding. He had enjoyed every encounter with vampire slayers – even if they could have cost him his life multiple times.

Hisoka himself had always been quite sure, that if one of the orders was to actively hunt them, he would be the first one to do something foolish that would lead to his death. Now he was not so sure anymore… Something had happened to Illumi and whatever it was, it had driven him to become careless.

But it was out of his hand now. Hisoka decided to take his leave as well. After all, there was someone waiting for him….

 

* * *

 

Two grey orbs with a reddish glow searched for any kind of movement within the fog. Kurapika could feel something drawing closer to his hiding spot and the feeling gave him goosebumps. But this time he was prepared, he would not fail again. The vampire had damaged his pride and he would make him pay tonight.

But he had to be a little more patient before slicing off the creature’s head.

First, he had to find out whether Leorio was still alive... or if he had nothing to hold him back from slaying the vampire’s life.

 

* * *

 

The ground beneath Illumi felt cold and smudgy, likely from his own blood. He was unable to move, but from what he was able to see, he was inside the abandoned dungeon his family had built back when they had all lived in the hideout.

He had not seen it coming. He had not been able to hear, smell the hunter or detect his presence. He had only known when he was struck by a sharp pain in his upper body. The last thing he remembered was clutching his chest and feeling the wooden stake.

Illumi closed his eyes again and sighed. To admit, it was a magnificent display of skill that the man had been able to surprise him.

The stake alone would not have been as bad, but the hunter must have dipped it into the blood of a dead human that now froze his muscles. “He sure is the crafty type…” he mumbled, right before the iron door creaked open and someone else entered.

The iron door fell shut again and the space was submerged in a dark red light, coming from the burning oven that stood across the room.

“You recovered quite fast from our night together. Are you feeling well?” Illumi asked and promptly felt the stake dig deeper into his flesh.

Kurapika gritted his teeth as he stepped onto the stake and watched with glowing red eyes as more dark blood spread across the floor.

“Shut your mouth, you damn bastard.” He could hardly contain his wrath. He hated vampires with a passion for years, but this man had ridiculed him.

After he got the information he needed out of him, he would kill him in the most painful way possible.

Illumi gasped, but remained with a calm expression. He was far from comfortable, but he felt no pain. But what he felt, was the anger burning inside the hunter before him. He would not hesitate to kill him.

Kurapika added more weight to the stake which dug deeper into Illumi’s flesh. The blood the vampire below him coughed up soothed his own damaged pride, but it was far from enough to fulfill the feeling that had brought Kurapika here in the first place.

He would make the vampire suffer for what he had done. And if he could not provide any information about Leorio, he would take care of the creature and cleanse this town once and for all.

“You know who I am looking for don’t you?” Kurapika asked and bend down to look into the vampire’s eyes. They were cold and lacked the slightest display of emotion.

A shiver went down his spine when the image of exactly the same black orbs flashed in front of his eyes. The last time they had met his own, they had been filled with passion, had drawn him in like black holes, when cold lips had caressed his own… He mentally slapped himself for thinking of it again.

No, he hated this man with a burning passion and he would make him regret ever getting close to him.

“Tell me where I can find Leorio!” he hissed.

Illumi licked his blood from his lips. “So that was his name. I couldn’t remember it.”

“What?” Kurapika’s lips twitched and he thrusted another stake into Illumi’s lower body.

Illumi coughed and this time threw up more blood than before. “I never said he was dead.”  
Healing these wounds would take forever.

“Stop toying with my patience. It will be the last thing you do. Where do you keep him?”

“If you followed me here because you expected to find your friend, then you wasted your time. I’m not the one who took him away. Never even met him.”

Kurapika furrowed and leaned down closer to the vampire’s face and stared into his eyes. “Don’t tell me there are more of your kind. You are nothing but pests to mankind. Tell me where I can find your kindred so I can finally purge this place from all of you abominations.”

“I understand you are angry, but watch your tongue. I have done nothing to you.” Illumi replied with a hint of anger in his voice.

The blond could feel his blood pressure rising, but tried to remain calm. “You used your vampiric seduction on me to suck my blood, you damn parasite.”

“I have not used any of my powers on you. You practically invited me.” Illumi said.

“I- You’re lying. I would never be fooled by a vampire. I think I would remember exactly what happened if you had not used your powers.” Kurapika answered.

But he faltered and did not step onto the stake another time. Never in all his years as a hunter had he doubted himself when a vampire had tried to confuse him with their lies.  
“I did not invite you to suck my blood.”

The smile that appeared on the vampire’s lips threw him off already, but he bit his lips when the man replied.

Illumi closed his eyes and said “Well, you asked me to bite you.”

“No… I did not-“Kurapika tried to object.

But the images of that night appeared in front of his inner eye and he took a step back. He remembered clearly digging his nails into the back of the man in front of him and those two black eyes staring into his own… and he remembered the muffled “ _Use your teeth.”_ that had come from his own lips.

“You passed out once we were finished, perhaps you don’t remember what happened.” Illumi said, but he already knew that the blond had realized his error.

Kurapika had to stop himself from biting his lips, but gritted his teeth at the man. “You… you bastard.”

A soft laugh that send shivers down his spine escaped the vampire’s lips and Kurapika could feel his cheeks turning hot when he looked at the man’s smile.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed. Things like that are common among your kind, aren’t they?”

 _“He’s making a fool of me now…”_ Kurapika thought and tried to catch a clear thought.

What was so different about this vampire, that he had managed to make Kurapika let his guard down? Or perhaps he was just like all other vampires who had always taken advantage of naïve or careless humans that had crossed their path.

It had been Kurapika’s fault entirely.  “No…”

He hated to admit it, but he had even enjoyed what he had done with the vampire. He had sullied not only himself and his pride. He had betrayed his entire clan and dirtied their name by giving into temptation and committing sin.

Kurapika took a step back and felt his vision become blurry. His anger faded and he was overcome by shame and desperation. He was disgusted by his own actions.

He buried his face in his hands.

“What have I done?”

 

* * *

 

Illumi could not understand how his words had struck the hunter, but it must have been a powerful blow. He was still unable to move and killing the man was no option. He wasn’t even sure if he wanted to kill him. The hunter was probably still after his life, but the pitiful sight the man had become was no longer a threat to him.

He had seen the pained expression in Kurapika’s eyes and although he had tried to at least ridicule the hunter before he would have killed him, it did not fulfill Illumi the slightest.

  
He felt bad... for the hunter that was, although Illumi was not sure if it was normal to feel bad for another person.

Hisoka would have slapped him for what he was about to do, but the hunter had managed to make Illumi do foolish things before. Illumi wasn’t sure why exactly he felt the urge to help the man, but he decided not to question it.

“I know where your friend is.”

Kurapika seemed to recover from his episode faster than he should have; perhaps it was only to keep up appearances.

“Why should I trust you?” If anything, the vampire would just try to dig deeper in his wounds than actually help him.

“What other choice do you have?” Illumi looked up to the blond hunter. “By the time you find him yourself, he might no longer be alive.”

Kurapika gritted his teeth. “Fine. Tell me what you know… but once I find Leorio, I will kill you and all other kindred of yours that live in this place.”

Illumi sighed and closed his eyes. Although he had been what humans would consider as clinically dead as long as he could remember, the poisonous blood rushing through his veins began to reach his head. It wasn’t painful, but it made him feel dizzy and he felt as if he was about to pass out.

“If you wish… I suppose it can’t be helped then. You will have to wait until the next sunset however.”

“So you can lead me into another hideout swarming with your kind?” Kurapika asked angrily. He would not be fooled by the vampire twice.

“The sun will rise soon. If you want to leave now, you’ll have to find the place yourself. I would not make it there without being burned alive.”

Kurapika bend down and stared into the vampire’s eyes. “Maybe I should just drag you outside and let exactly that happen.”

Illumi kept a straight face, but began to observe the hunter’s eyes more closely. They had appeared grey to him until now, but as he took a closer look, they almost seemed to be glowing in a rather beautiful shade of red.

He hummed lightly. “Even though you seem to have realized that I had no intention to harm you, you continue to threaten me.  Do you hate all vampires to such an extent, or are you just ashamed you let me have you?”

Kurapika clenched his fists and leaned closer towards the vampire. “Who do you think you are?” he hissed.

The audacity… he could have killed him right here. Perhaps he should have from the beginning. By that, he would have at least partially restored his honor. But he felt that it was not the time to kill the vampire just yet.

Although he had to admit that he enjoyed inflicting pain upon the monster lying beneath him, in a puddle of its own blood.

Illumi… Kurapika had forgotten his name until now; he wasn’t exactly sure why he remembered it now all of a sudden.

He looked magnificent, even soaked in blood.

Kurapika managed to shake off his thoughts. “You are no different from any other vampire I’ve killed… and your life will end exactly like theirs. You’re all scum. Don’t even try to tell me you need human blood to survive. You all kill just for your own enjoyment.”

There was no reason for him to discuss anything with vampires. It only made it easier for them to find his own weak spots. But the anger mixed with the unbearable pain in his chest made it hard for him to hold back.

 

* * *

 

It was impossible for Illumi to miss the disgust in the hunter’s voice. Maybe Kurapika’s harsh words were not even intended directly at him.

“Not all vampires are animals, you know.”

Kurapika shot a deadly glare at the vampire, but managed to contain his anger. “Then prove it.” He pulled the stake out of Illumi’s chest and placed it on the rack that had been converted into a normal table over the centuries.

He turned back and watched the puddle of blood spread farther across the floor before he spoke.  
“Once the sun has set, you will guide me to the other hunter and whoever is keeping him captive. Do that, and I might even let you live. But if you lead me into a trap I’ll make sure you die in agony.”

“How very generous of you.” Illumi replied and tried to withhold another bloody cough.

He had no intention of ratting out Hisoka or letting the hunter take away his friend’s prey. Illumi had already forgotten his name again, but once he would meet him, perhaps he would remember it. If he had the time – he wasn’t too sure whether Kurapika actually considered not to kill him.

He watched as the blonde observed him again.

“I’ll leave you in here to heal. I will be back once night has fallen – if you try anything funny when I return, you will regret it.” Kurapika said and left the chamber.

Illumi heard the door across the room being locked and let his eyes fall shut. He could still feel the poisoned blood rushing through his veins, though it had already grown weaker. Yet he felt drained.

He would have preferred to rest in his sarcophagus, but the bloody floor would have to do for now.

Illumi let out a weary sigh. He was still uncertain what urged him to help the hunter, although the entire situation put him in a rather bad position. It was confusing.

From helping Kurapika there was no actual gain for Illumi – except the hunter’s dependency on him. Was that what he wanted? Illumi was not sure, but he knew he wanted Kurapika again. And he wanted him all for himself – for as long as the situation would allow it.

There was no use in overthinking things however. As he felt his body growing numb, he decided to let the poison do its work and sink into sleep until nightfall.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leorio comes to terms with his feelings for HIsoka, while Illumi makes Kurapika an offer he cannot decline.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so happy I finally finished this chapter - this is where it gets good after all lol  
> Since it was AmaraSessh's birthday last week, I put all my heart into the last chapter & I hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it!   
> (also happy birthday again lovely<3)
> 
> As usual I can't control myself when it comes to AU's, so after this of course there'll be a sequel that I'm planning already. Like for all my other HxH fics (even for one that isn't even finished yet) please send help. 
> 
> Please keep in mind that english isn't my first language and enjoy~

Leorio was blinded by a bright light when he opened his eyes. He groaned and buried his face in the satin pillow beneath his head. He had never considered treating himself to anything made of the expensive fabric, but just now he began to truly appreciate it.

The pillowcase didn’t carry a special scent which was a little disappointing when he thought about it, but they were perfectly clean. They always were.

When he realized he couldn’t breathe, he lifted his head again and blinked into the rising sun shining into the room. He was alone.  Which made sense, considering vampires slept during the day.

Leorio reached for his glasses, but he quickly removed them when everything became blurry. His sight had been perfect for two days now, but he still tried to put on his glasses out of habit from time to time. If he had known a vampire’s kiss would cure his shortsightedness, he would have considered it much earlier.

_“Without those glasses, I finally get to appreciate that handsome face of yours without distraction.”_

Thinking of the vampire’s words made him blush and Leorio grimaced.

“Dammit.” He could do very well without being showered with compliments. Each time he got flustered and felt his blood rushing through his head. If he didn’t knew it any better, Hisoka was using his vampiric powers on him every time they were in the same room – although he denied it.

_“You could tell if there was actual magic at work, I’m sure. I’m merely stating the obvious.”_

Then there were those piercing yellow eyes that squinted slightly with every smile and omitted a strange warmth. He really had a beautiful smile.

Leorio groaned and buried his head in his palms. Perhaps Hisoka was just really good at turning his head. Speaking of whom, he wondered where the vampire dwelt during the day. They had spent the last nights together, but upon the break of dawn Hisoka had been nowhere to be found.

When Leorio shuffled to the door of his room, he was surprised to find it unlocked. Had it been unlocked all the time for the past weeks? He had never bothered to check, now that he thought about it.

_I’m a fool._

He wandered through the castle that lay in eerie silence, only his footsteps echoing through the hallways. In daylight the partially ruined halls seemed a lot less bleak than when he had first set foot into the castle. Now bright sunrays burst through the windows and cracks and filled the halls with a pleasant light.

After a while he stumbled across what had to be the main gate and out of curiosity he pressed down the handle. The gate swung open and he had to shield his eyes to not be blinded by the sun above the treetops. There was nothing left of the fog that had wavered near the edges of the forest that surrounded the castle. Now he could even hear birds chirping and the faint sound of the ocean’s waves rushing to shore.

Leorio stared at the door handle in disbelief and back into the forest. He could have just wandered out of the castle during the day without getting in trouble. He could have made it back to the town with ease all this time.

“Damn…” He really had misjudged Hisoka. Well, it wasn’t unusual for vampires to hide their prey away from the rest of the world until their inevitable death or their rebirth. He couldn’t help but wonder why Hisoka would just give him the opportunity to walk away.

It was early morning, he could just leave and head down the forest. But he remembered seeing the cliffs near the castle from the harbor. Besides, there was still the possibility of other vampires dwelling in the forest or near the town. And it wasn’t guaranteed that they would be only half as civilized as Hisoka had proven to be.

But did he really want to leave? He got flustered thinking about it. Perhaps…he could stay a little longer. Just to make sure Hisoka wasn’t a threat to the people living here.

Leorio sighed. “Who am I kidding?”  It was more than obvious that he liked the vampire too much already. Aside from the fact that Hisoka wasn’t nearly as bestial as any other vampire he had ever encountered, he was rather charming. Good looking too. Perhaps it was too much to say, but he seemed rather fond of Leorio, always treating him with something like respect, maybe even affection.

He stepped back and let the gate fall shut before him, the light disappearing in front of his eyes. The entry hall was a lot darker than the other rooms, mainly since the walls were still fully intact.

Standing alone in the dim hall, he stood in front of the gate for a while, his fingers touching the handle.

The bite mark on his neck rubbed against his collar. It had been itching the first few days, but now he could barely feel it.

A vampire drinking his blood had always been one of his greatest fears. It was common belief of the order that a vampire’s kiss alone could turn one into a creature of the night.

Hisoka had been kind enough to invalidate said belief before he had dug his teeth into Leorio’s throat. Not that it had been bad. In fact, it had felt somewhat… pleasant.

Leorio leaned his forehead against the gate and sighed. This was getting way out of hand. But if the vampire had left all doors unlocked, perhaps he trusted him to some extent. Maybe it had not been his intention to keep him captive as Leorio had assumed before.

But where was Hisoka anyway? After wandering through the castle, it had become clear that the vampire didn’t use the master bedroom to rest during the day.

Leorio let his gaze wander through the hall. What once had been a gallery now consisted of nothing but empty picture frames. Had Hisoka lived here when he had still been alive? It could have been the case, but somehow it seemed unlikely to Leorio.

At the other end of the hall, shrouded in darkness, he was able to make out an arch that lead to what seemed to be a staircase.  The steps disappeared down into the darkness and the cellar seemed a more fitting place for a vampire to spend the day.

Leorio carefully made his way down the staircase. Once he reached the bottom, it wasn’t as dark as he had feared. Four torches on the walls lit up the tomb before him, illuminating the large black coffin placed in the middle of the room.

There was nothing but the crackling of the fire of the torches and his own uneven breaths. He was struck with the feeling that he should not be here, yet he could not resist the temptation to take a closer look.

He had to give Hisoka his due, this tomb was certainly a classy hideout. Most vampires he had encountered in his past had been hiding out in caves, the sewers or simply in a bog.

Before he knew what he was doing, Leorio slowly opened the coffin. Although he should have expected it, he was still surprised to find Hisoka sleeping inside, barely dressed, mind you.

Leorio was surprised Hisoka chose to sleep in shorts as well as with a blanket. He had to be the most non-traditional vampire Leorio had ever crossed paths with.

Hisoka was rested into a soft velveteen cushion, looking rather peaceful as he slept. But by taking a closer look, he seemed… pretty much dead, as he was not breathing. But Leorio could feel that he was alive in some way.

The coffin was just as big as it had seemed form the outside, perhaps it had originally been built for a couple.

 _‘If we took it further, we could sleep in there together-'_ Leorio caught himself thinking. That was certainly not something he should be thinking about while observing a coffin.

Yet it seemed comfortable, judging by Hisoka’s expression.

He smelled clean, not like blood or rotting flesh as one might have expected. What were undead meant to smell like anyway?   
Hisoka’s hair was tousled. Crimson strands had fallen into his face where they brushed against porcelain skin.

Leorio blushed slightly and pushed a strand of crimson hair back into place. He realized it was odd to watch someone sleep and took a step away from the coffin before he closed it carefully.

On his way back upstairs, he felt confused. He was nearly unable to tell what exactly he felt for the vampire. Originally he was meant to kill him and yet, it had not crossed his mind once they had gotten closer.   
He knew that morally this, whatever was happening between both of them, was unspeakable. But it didn’t feel wrong to Leorio.

He needed more time to clear his head.

 

* * *

 

Kurapika sharpened his blade, his gaze trailing off to the vampire across the room.

Illumi watched the blond just as attentively.

Each time the blade hit the water stone, a clear ring was send through the air. Judging by the sound alone Illumi could tell the sword was made of silver. He had not seen the blade before, but it seemed Kurapika knew steel was not nearly as efficient as silver when it came to killing vampires.

Kurapika sheathed the sword and put the water stone aside.   
“You seem surprised. Didn’t expect me to bring a silver blade?”

A smile formed on Illumi’s lips. “Not at all, I expected no less from you. Having to deal with amateurs makes me feel plain depressed, so I’m glad you didn’t disappoint my expectations.” He replied.

Again Kurapika was unable to read his expression. He really couldn’t tell whether the vampire was mocking him or not. Not that it mattered anyway.  
“Then I take you still remember what we agreed on last night?”

“Ah, so you agree to make an arrangement with a vampire after all?” Illumi remarked.

Kurapika grimaced. “I won’t comment on that. But you will lead me to my friend, as agreed.”

After they had left the underground hideout, they made their way through the forest in silence. It was a clear night and the moonlight illuminated their path.

Kurapika kept his hand on the grip of his sword, glancing over to the vampire, who he knew was keeping an eye on him as well.

Suddenly Illumi broke the silence.

“You know, I met more than enough of your kind.”

Kurapika raised an eyebrow. “Well obviously there are more humans than vampires, so that figures.”

Illumi looked to the side, but Kurapika clearly saw a smirk cross the man’s pale lips. “Ha, and you’re funny too. I meant you’re not the first hunter to cross paths with me. There were many before you, though they were less prepared, let alone well informed.”

“I thought so.” Kurapika remarked dryly.

Illumi stopped and looked directly into the hunter’s eyes.  
“But none held quite such a grudge against vampires like you. Who did you lose? It must have been someone dear to you, if you’re still filled with such hatred.”

 

* * *

 

“Did you have a good day?”

Leorio spun around. He had neither heard nor sensed Hisoka entering the room, but it was something he had gotten accustomed to.

Hisoka wore his hair loosely, crimson strands falling into his face. He carried that captivating smile Leorio had grown to love.

“I did. I took a look around the castle, wandered through the hallways for a while.” Leorio replied.

Hisoka hummed lightly. “Hmm yes. I could tell. Your scent was still lingering when I woke up.”

Leorio felt his cheeks turning hot. “Oh…” He should have figured. What a fool he was, of course there was something that had given him away.

But Hisoka seemed unfazed and for a moment Leorio swore the vampire suppressed a smirk. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of. I watch you all the time while you sleep, although I didn’t expect the same from you in return.” He leaned forward, towards Leorio and their eyes met. “Not that I would mind.”

Leorio averted his gaze. He was pretty sure his face had turned red by now. “Huh…” He felt ridiculous to get this flustered, being a grown man, yet blushing like a school girl. Sure, he had no problem flirting or joking around with someone. But this felt different.

Hisoka’s smile didn’t waver and he walked over to the window. “There is something I want to ask you.” He turned back to Leorio, and his expression became more serious.  
“Although that is not the right way to put it.” He paused for a moment. “There is something I want you to consider.”

Leorio nodded as response, knowing replying verbally could ruin whatever was about to come.

Hisoka’s expression softened and pursed his lips into a smile.   
“Stay with me.”

Leorio lost his speech for a moment, opening his mouth dumbfounded. “Wha-…”

“Not in terms of becoming a vampire of course - at least for now. But …” Hisoka sighed. “Oh my, I’ve only gotten worse of this. I really like you. And I don’t plan to eat you, which doesn’t really happen to me often. I want you to stay with me.”

Leorio should have expected something like this, but he was still surprised. “Are you asking me to date you?”

“Ah yes, that was the term used these days. Well, I am asking you exactly that.” Hisoka replied, still waiting for an answer.

Leorio’s cheeks felt hot and he averted his gaze. He could impossibly deny that there were some kind of feelings that had bloomed for the vampire. Who was he kidding, he had already fallen for the man and right now there seemed to be no way out. But if the vampire’s proposal was sincere, maybe Leorio could stop fighting his own feelings.  
He sighed. “I am not dating you… yet.” Leorio finally said. “But I will stay. Because I like you too.”

Hisoka’s expression did not waver, perhaps he had not expected such a straightforward answer.   
“Hmm. I can live with that.” He replied and his smile grew wider.

 

* * *

 

_“You must have lost someone very dear to you.”_

The vampire’s words echoed through Kurapika’s mind and for a moment he could not feel his own body. He saw them all lying before him, in a dark red puddle, eyes removed and limbs partially torn off. It was too painful to remember.

Kurapika grit his teeth and swung his blade at the vampire, who rather gracefully dodged the attack. Illumi’s expression was unreadable – again, but he seemed amused.

Kurapika’s hands trembled. _‘That bastard.’_

“I figured there was more behind your motivation than just moral teachings from your order.” Illumi said. “Do you know who exactly killed them? It could have been a necrophage just as well. You wouldn’t believe how often ghoul kills are mistaken for those of a vampire.”

Kurapika lowered his blade and stared down the man for a while. Originally he had kept Illumi alive only to find Leorio, and he had not been sure whether it would prove to be a mistake or not. He did not understand what Illumi was trying to gain from any of this, but no matter what it was, perhaps Kurapika could gain something from the vampire in return. Beyond finding Leorio that was.

“Ghouls don’t kill for mere pleasure. And I doubt they have the brain capacity to torture. My entire village was killed by a vampire clan. I do not know by what name they go, but their crest shows the symbol of a spider.” Kurapika carried a grim look on his face as he spoke.

His expression grew darker when he noticed the faint smile that appeared on the vampire’s lips. There was no doubt he knew exactly who Kurapika spoke of.  
“You’ve heard of them.”

Illumi turned his head and shrugged. “I might have.”

Kurapika could hardly control his anger. There was nothing he hated more than people playing games with him. He stepped closer to the vampire, pointing the silver blade at him.  
“Listen, if you have something to tell me you better spit it out. I am not going to beg.”

Illumi’s smile grew wider and Kurapika felt his cheeks turn hot. That bastard vampire had some nerve.   
“What’s so funny, huh?”

“Nothing. Except that you’re obviously not the type to beg for any kind of help. Even when you desperately need it.” Illumi said as his smile faded and he looked at Kurapika with a dead stare. “You have been searching for them for some time now, correct? But you’re unable to find any traces of them. Must be frustrating.”

Kurapika huffed. He couldn’t stand that the vampire already knew too much about him, but what made things worse was that Illumi was right.   
“So what if it is? I’ll just have to keep searching.” He remarked coldly.

Illumi pushed a strand of hair that had fallen into his face back into place. “You can search all you want, but if you do not know where to look, you might only find a hint when you’re old and life has almost left you. The clan you’re looking for is known for hiding their traces. If they don’t want to be found, they cannot be found.” He said.

Kurapika grimaced. The only reason Illumi had not dropped the topic was that he knew a lot more about these vampires who were so known for their secrecy than he revealed.  
“You haven’t just heard of them.” He spoke slowly, squinting at the vampire as he stepped closer.

Illumi neither flinched nor stepped back, bringing them almost awkwardly close.

“No, you know them personally. Or at least one of them. But you would never rat out your kindred, right?” he hissed. “You just enjoy making a fool of me. If you don’t drop the attitude, I’ll cut of your limbs and chain what’s left of you to the ground to burn in the sun.”

Illumi’s lips twitched as he suppressed a laugh. Kurapika was rather cute when he was angry, even his empty threats were amusing. But if we kept playing with the blond, perhaps those threats were no longer empty. “You intend to kill whoever took your fellow hunter away, right?” he asked.

“That’s why I came here.”

Illumi hummed lightly. “Huh… even if you recover your friend perfectly unharmed, you will still kill the vampire he is with?”

“They’re never left unharmed.” Although Kurapika wanted to believe Leorio was fine, it was better to not be too optimistic. It would only break his heart if he ended up being wrong. “But even if my friend was fine, I would kill the vampire anyway. I’m certain that beast has killed hundreds of other people before.”

 _‘More like a thousand.’_ Illumi observed Kurapika closely, before he dramatically turned away. “I see. How sad, I was hoping we could come to an arrangement.” If he played his cards right, Kurapika would neither attempt to kill him nor Hisoka – and he wouldn’t have to kill the blond as well.

Kurapika remained unfazed. “I don’t make arrangements with your kind. Don’t get too arrogant, just because I haven’t killed you yet.”

“If I remember correctly, we already made a deal once. Besides, I am still alive. And so are you for that matter.” Illumi revealed part of his fangs and looked at the biting marks that were still visible on Kurapika’s neck. He watched the hunter blush and cover his neck quickly.  
“But you’re awfully stubborn, even for a human. Which is a shame, because I almost remembered where the Spiders are hiding out lately. But if you must, then go ahead and kill me together with my acquaintance.”

“So you know where they are?” Kurapika asked, not all too happy about where this was heading.

“No, I think I forgot again. Good luck with finding them.” Illumi replied calmly, but smirking on the inside. He knew Kurapika had taken the bait a long time ago.

Kurapika on the other hand was well aware that the vampire knew he could not refuse Illumi’s part of the deal. He sighed and put the silver blade back into its sheath.  
“Fine. I won’t attempt to slay you nor the other vampire – for now. But once I’ve found the clan I’m hunting, I will return for you.”

The smile he received from the vampire was enough to drive him mad again.

“I hope you will.” Illumi replied. “We should hurry and get your friend back before it’s too late.”

 

* * *

 

Leorio turned over the pages from the book he held in his hands. “I can’t believe this is about you. Did you really live at court 300 years ago?”

Hisoka leaned back in his chair. “I certainly did. But that poet was so boring, I never really paid attention to him. I don’t even remember what he looked like.”

“Then how did you find out he wrote about you?” Leorio asked and skimmed the musings written in ink on the paper which had gone yellow by now. He knew Hisoka was considered rather young for a vampire, considering some of the elders from the legends were more than 2000 years old. But it was unfathomable to him that Hisoka had been on this planet for more than 300 years already.

Hisoka shrugged. “I don’t really remember that either, but I think a friend pointed it out to me at that time.”   
Someone was approaching. Hisoka rose from his chair. It had to be Illumi unless there was suddenly another undead that had settled on the coast. But there was another life force approaching with him.   
“Looks like we’re getting visitors.” Hisoka muttered. “This should be interesting…”

 

* * *

 

Kurapika observed the castle in front of them. Once he had cleared it and was about to head in, he was stopped by Illumi. The vampire seemed more serious than before and his black eyes stared right into Kurapika’s soul, it seemed. The biting marks on his neck began to itch, but he resisted the urge to touch them.

“Kurapika.”

A shiver went down his spine when Illumi spoke his name. The only time Kurapika remembered the vampire addressing him by his name had been… that night. He tried to erase it from his mind.  
“What is it?”

Illumi looked over to the castle as he spoke. “I don’t care if you hurt him. But if you go too far, I’ll make sure you’ll never find those who murdered your clan.”

Kurapika was still angry that he agreed to such terms. But the way things seemed, perhaps this was his only chance to find an actual clue leading to the Spiders. He glanced over to Illumi before he replied, “I stand by my word. But if you try anything funny, you’re dead.”

“Leading you into a trap is way too bothersome.” Illumi replied. “Besides, “ he carried that mocking smile again that threw Kurapika off every time “If I wanted you out of the way, I could have taken my chances much earlier. Like that time you were lying beneath me.”

Kurapika grit his teeth, but remained silent for a while.

“Why didn’t you just kill me in the first place anyway?” he asked. He observed Illumi carefully, trying to read his expression but failed once again.

“Hmm. I’m actually not certain myself. But not tearing apart your throat seemed like the right thing to do at that moment. And you haven’t disappointed me yet. You’re quite… entertaining.” Illumi replied.

“You find me entertaining?” Kurapika raised an eyebrow in confusion. “You’re an odd one.”

“You’re rather odd yourself.” Illumi remarked.

Kurapika shook his head. He wasn’t sure whether he actually hated Illumi or not, but in all honesty he had never met a weirder vampire in his life.

But he had other things to worry about at the moment, what had happened to Leorio for instance. They proceeded to the castle.

The entrance hall was dimly lit and it took Kurapika to adjust his vision for a while. But when Illumi stopped abruptly he quickly noticed the tall figure that had appeared on top of the staircase before them.

“How rude to just invite yourself in. You’re making me look like a terrible host, next time maybe announce that you intend to drop by beforehand.”

The words of the other vampire were clearly directed at Illumi, although Kurapika was not entirely sure. Illumi’s expression had not changed at all, he didn’t seem tensed either.

“Since when do I have to announce myself? Is it because of your new pet?” If Kurapika didn’t know any better Illumi sounded almost offended.

The vampire on top of the staircase grinned and revealed his sharp fangs. “I was not being serious, as you should have noticed my darling friend. Are you sure you are not at least a little jealous?”

Kurapika could almost hear Illumi rolling his eyes, but suddenly his attention was taken elsewhere. There were steps of a fourth person coming from the hallway the second vampire had come from.

“What’s going on?” he heard an all too familiar voice ask and moments later Leorio appeared out of the shadows.

“Leorio!”

Leorio’s eyes widened in surprise. “Kurapika? What are you doing here?”

Kurapika felt relieved, but only seconds later he felt anger building up inside his chest. “What am _I_ doing here? What the hell are _you_ doing here? Have you lost your mind? You are supposed to kill vampires, why didn’t you flee and contact anyone?” he took a deep breath. Yelling at Leorio didn’t really make things any better and there was no point in it really. “I already thought you were dead.” He added quietly.

Leorio looked down at Kurapika in silence, filled with guilt. “I’m sorry.”

Hisoka raised an eyebrow and observed both of them attentively, before he dramatically raised his hand. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but I suppose you have come to take my precious away?” he stared at Kurapika, his fingers morphing into sharp claws.

Kurapika grimaced. Of course the vampire would put up a fight. “That is exactly my intention.”

Hisoka laughed “Oh. This should be good.”

The dark energy that filled the room gave Kurapika goosebumps and he placed his hand on the grip of his sword. He could tell Hisoka was not the ordinary vampire who would be on the ground after one carefully executed attack. No, he clearly was a higher vampire. Perhaps not of royal blood, but he seemed rather strong, maybe even stronger than anything Kurapika had ever faced. But if he intended to kill the clan that slaughtered his people, he could not back down from such an opponent.

Before either of them could deliver the first blow, Leorio stepped forward and placed his hand on Hisoka’s wrist. “A fight is absolutely not necessary.”

Kurapika grit his teeth. “I very much believe it is necessary.”

Hisoka still looked past Leorio, scanning the blond hunter. “So do I.”

Leorio huffed and this time spoke in a much more threatening tone. “You are not going to fight each other.”

Hisoka, who seemed just as surprised as Kurapika, stared at Leorio for a while, before he lowered his hand, the claws morphing back into slender fingers and a smirk crossed his lips. “My, if you say so. Too bad, this seemed like it could be really fun. But if that’s your wish, I will do as you ask.” He said, his gaze wandering back to Kurapika who let go of his sword.

“Then you better start explaining yourself Leorio.” Kurapika said, still angry. “Because I’m having a hard time understanding what’s going on.”

Leorio sighed. “I will try…” he walked down the stairs and turned back to Hisoka. “But not here. Excuse us for a moment.”

“But of course.” Hisoka looked after him as they both left the hall. He was rather disappointed to be deprived of what seemed like the fight he had waited for all these years, but he was curious how all this would play out.

 

* * *

 

Kurapika leaned against the wall and crossed his arms, furrowing his brows. “Now will you please let me know what the hell you were thinking when you let that vampire lure you into his lair? Did you have some kind of death wish?” he sighed and rubbed his temples. “You have no idea how much I want to punch you.”

Leorio groaned and buried his face in his palms. “Listen, I really don’t know myself. It just… it just happened. But you have to trust me when I say that Hisoka is not a threat. He’s…” he paused for a moment. “He’s not a bad guy.”

Kurapika threw his hands over his head. “You’ve really lost it, maybe that vampire bite was enough. The reason you came here was to find a vampire on a killing spree and both those monsters in the hall could be behind those murders.”

Leorio was about to reply when suddenly he froze. He stepped closer, staring at Kurapika’s neck. Kurapika tried to place his hand over what he nearly had forgotten about, but Leorio had already gotten a good look on it.

“Oh. So I’m the one who’s lost it? Then why exactly did you show up with another vampire and those biting marks, huh? Check yourself before you-“ Leorio didn’t get to finish his sentence.

Kurapika tried to not yell at Leorio again, but he was still furious. “I could have already killed that vampire, but …” he sighed. “This might be my only chance to find those bastards that slaughtered my people.”

“I’m sorry, but do you actually believe that?” Leorio asked.

“What other choice do I have? But that doesn’t matter now, I came here to free you. Let’s just get out of here.” Kurapika replied.

“I don’t have to be freed. I can take care of myself.”

Kurapika looked Leorio up and down and grimaced. “Of course you can, that’s why you’re covered in biting marks.”

Leorio remained awfully serious this once and crossed his arms. “I’m not the only one it seems. But I know what I’m doing, trust me. I just hope _you_ know what you’re getting yourself into.”

Kurapika averted his gaze. “…I hope so too.”

 

* * *

 

Illumi watched as Hisoka descended from the staircase, then suddenly he appeared in front of him. He felt strong fingers gripping his throat and pushing him against the wall.

Hisoka revealed his fangs and in a threatening tone began to speak, his voice much lower than usual. “Illumi. Do you want me killed? I really hope you don’t intend to betray me.” His grip tightened, choking Illumi, and he whispered into his ear “Because that would break my heart.”

Illumi gritted his fangs at the other vampire, although he slightly enjoyed the force applied to his neck. “I have not the slightest intention to do that. It wasn’t my fault that other hunter showed up and tried to kill me.”

Hisoka let go of Illumi and carefully ran his fingers over the other’s chest that was still bloody, looking at the wound thoughtfully. A hole of that size and depth would take weeks to properly heal.  
“Does it still hurt?”

“It doesn’t.” Illumi replied, looking back at Hisoka.

“You could have just killed him.” Hisoka remarked, his expression then darkened. “That’s what I would have done if some hunter tries to play games with me.” He pushed back a strand of Illumi’s hair that had fallen into the man’s face.  
“I thought those of the royal bloodline could only be killed during a special ritual.”

Illumi averted his gaze, once again he had to admit Hisoka was right. In the past it had always been him to correct the other’s ways, but something had changed over the course of the years.  
“I guess I didn’t feel like killing him.”

“You must have promised that hunter quite something that he agreed not to kill either of us. I could sense he didn’t intend to kill me when he tried to draw his blade. Since when are you feeling so generous?” Hisoka asked, this time more out of curiosity than judgement.

Illumi shrugged. “It was nothing valuable that I promised him. I suppose keeping him around seems more entertaining than killing him.”

Hisoka smirked. “Oh, so you took a liking to him?”

“I never said that.”

Hisoka resisted the urge to pinch Illumi’s cheeks when he saw the other’s pouty lips. “Well, it’s rather obvious. Although it’s a little funny, don’t you think? Once you told me that keeping humans around as toys was a waste of time. Hut who am I to judge. I’ve been guilty of doing exactly that more than once. Although picking a bloodthirsty hunter as your plaything seems a little reckless, even by my standards. But I like that new side of yours.”

Illumi gave the other a faint smile when he felt Hisoka’s eyes on him. “What will you do with Leorio now?”

Hisoka hummed lightly. “Hmm, unless your little hunter decides to kill us after all, I intend to keep Leorio with me.”

Illumi felt an odd sting in his chest, not the kind from his fresh wound. If Hisoka truly meant to make the human his partner, things between them would never be the same again. “I just hope your friend won’t end up as a half-blood in the end. It would put him at a disadvantage if you ever decide to return to the cities. You know not every member of our society is as civil as in the old times.”

Hisoka shook his head. “I understand that someone of your rank would worry about something that trivial, but may I remind you that I’m not that far off the original bloodline? He’ll be fine.”

“If you say so.” Illumi replied.

“Why do you purebloods still care so much about the blood lines? It’s the 20th century.” Hisoka sighed. “I never understood how someone of the royal bloodline ended up with me.”

“Consider yourself lucky then.” Illumi replied and smiled.

Hisoka swung around when Kurapika and Leorio finally returned.

The blond hunter still looked rather upset, when Leorio cleared his throat. “Well, I will stay a little longer to make sure Hisoka here won’t harm any other humans.”

Hisoka chuckled. “I’m all yours.” Whereat Leorio blushed.

Illumi lifted an eyebrow and Kurapika let out a sigh. He turned to Illumi and said “Whatever. Just take me to the Spider’s already.”

“Perhaps you should prepare yourself thoroughly. I still have some preparations to make myself. This won’t be a field trip.” Illumi replied.

Kurapika grits his teeth. “This isn’t my first rodeo, bloodsucker. But I will stock up on my gear. You better don’t waste any time though.” He woefully turned around to Leorio. “You better take care of yourself.”

Leorio gave him a warm smile. “Right back at you. Good luck with that vampire clan.”

Kurapika nodded at Leorio, then furrowed at Hisoka. “If you hurt Leorio, I will come back and end you.”

Hisoka smirked. “Shall I take this as an invitation?”

Kurapika gritted his teeth and was about to fire back, when Illumi cleared his throat. “Let’s just leave.”

Outside the castle, Kurapika stopped. “So where do we head from here on?”

“The Spiders are currently staying in the capital.” He threw a pair of keys over to Kurapika who managed to catch them. “It’s been some time since I’ve last been there, but we’ll meet at my apartment.” He paused for a while. “If it still stands that is, I bought it somewhere around the 40s.”

Kurapika read the inscription on the keychain. “An apartment in the capital? Not another castle in the countryside?” he asked mockingly.

“A hunter’s earnings aren’t nearly high enough to afford a better place to stay, trust me.” Illumi replied and earned an annoyed grumble from Kurapika. “I’ll meet you there.”

“Will you? How do I know you’re not going to disappear somewhere else and I never see you again.” Kurapika asked.

Illumi’s expression darkened, and for the first time Kurapika realized that perhaps he should not underestimate him. “I keep my word. And even if I didn’t care, I would definitely return to repay you for the hole in my chest.” He replied calmly.

 “Fine. I’ll take your word for it.” Kurapika said.

After they had went their ways and Kurapika had returned to the base of his order, he knelt before the altar on which several artifacts of the Kurta clan had been placed. Kurapika closed his eyes and recited a silent prayer.

“Please guide me that I may not stray from the righteous path.” He took an amulet from the altar and tied it around his neck. But no artifact could possibly keep him from resisting the temptation that came in the form of a slender, dark haired, rather beautiful creature. Kurapika held his forehead and lowered his head in shame.

The only way to make up for the sin he had committed was to finally avenge his clan, so their souls could finally rest. “I won’t fall into that devil’s clutches again.” He muttered.

Elsewhere, Illumi observed the open wound in his chest. To use the blood of a dead man to poison him, Kurapika sure was not to be taken lightly. Illumi grit his teeth as he carefully applied the herbs which would hopefully speed up the healing process. But the poisoned blood still clung to his own flesh and send a stinging pain through his upper body every time he came near it, and each time he wished he could tear through the blond’s delicate little throat.

At the same time there was nothing he wanted more than to taste the man’s blood again. Kurapika was incredibly proud, but if Illumi had managed to lure him in once, the second time would not be that much more difficult.

Because in the end, Illumi always got what he wanted.


End file.
